This invention relates to competitive game devices and more particularly to round-about toy racing games wherein the object is to accumulate points by knocking down or passing an opposing player's playing pieces on a platform or playing surface defining a racing track.
Round-about type toys have enjoyed a great deal of popularity throughout the years. These toys usually consist of a figure traveling along a given continuous path on a platform. The object of many of these games is to hit a moving target or hit a stationary target while moving in relation thereto, sometimes involving the element of spaced. Rarely is there any simultaneous competition between opposing players having opposing playing pieces traveling slong opposing paths.
It is an object of this invention to provide a new, amusing and competitive round-about toy which simulates the competition involved in the racing game known as Roller Derby.
More particularly, it is an object of this invention to provide a toy of the character described in which the movement of the playing pieces is effected by a continuous motor driven track which moves about an oval or circular inclined platform, and causes the playing pieces driven thereby to travel in an irregularly shaped or undulating path along the platform simulating the oval track of the Roller Derby game.
These and other objects are accomplished in one form of the invention currently contemplated by providing a housing having a oval-shaped platform, a plurality of continuous channels formed in the platform defining the path of travel of a plurality of playing pieces that are movably received at their bases in the channels, and drive means for moving the playing pieces along the channels relative to the platform.
In the preferred embodiment, a continuous spring-like helical coiled moving element is disposed for longitudinal movement in each irregularly shaped channel in the platform. Three channels are provided. The drive means is comprised of two selectively variable speed motors, one of which moves the helical moving element in the central track-forming channel relative to the platform, and a second motor which moves the helical moving element in the inner and outer irregularly shaped chanels channels the platform.
A plurality of playing pieces representing one team are removably mounted on the central track and a plurality of playing pieces representing the opposing team are removably mounted on the inner and outer two tracks. All of the playing pieces are provided with a pair of flanges or wings protruding from the sides thereof such that at various points along their travel of the channels, contact can occur between playing pieces for blocking or knocking down opponent players.
Other objects, features and advantages will become apparent when viewed in connection with the accompanying drawings and the specification therewith.